The Equestrian is a fairly new publication compared to The Hitching Post, the former newspaper of Costa Mesa High School. The Hitching Post is nearly as old as CMHS itself, if not the same age. The Equestrian is four.

The Equestrian began when a group of students decided to start fresh. The Hitching Post’s print publication was quickly fading in the modern century. The money (or lack thereof) was literally thrown away, as the hard work of the students usually ended up unread in the campus trashcans. They had no funds to go to events, no computers to write and edit, no cameras to use, and no place to call their headquarters, as they were housed along with yearbook. Only three editions were released that year, and there were only two students in the class.

It’s always sad when such an old tradition fades away, but the past is the past, and journalism was in its on its deathbed that year. AP English teacher Mr. Abuel was asked to take it over, and by recruiting from his classes, a small group of students saved the journalism program, but gave it a makeover. The publication was moved online, so it could be published on a weekly basis, instead of only a few times per year. To complete the renovation, the students gave their publication a new name: The Equestrian.

At first, it was hard to revive the paper that had long been forgotten. But over time, the class sizes grew, cameras were purchased, and money began to flow into the account so that reporters could attend school events, movies, restaurants and more.

We are certainly still in our developing years, and we have experienced the hardship that comes with a young program. We’ve had to move to an online class after Mr. Abuel left CMHS, which makes it difficult to utilize our room and equipment as much as we'd like to. Our editorial board this year is mostly composed of stress-crazed seniors, while last year it was mostly slightly less-stressed juniors who could carry more of the weight. But we’re trying with what we have.

We are a student-run publication. Our adviser is here for support and dealing with grades, but it is the students who write, produce, and change it, which I feel is one of the most interesting aspects of a school paper. It’s bound to change. I want our successors to take chances and be bold, even if they make a few mistakes in the process.

The Equestrian still remembers and respects the Hitching Post. We saved the archives and they remain available to our reporters for inspiration. Had I been one of those students in the end of the Hitching Post’s life that kept journalism afloat, I don’t know what name I would have voted for. But my editorial board and I have a deep appreciation for those students who revamped the paper because they didn’t want it to end forever, and as for now, we are (and will remain) The Equestrian.